The former idea is expressed in the preamble: The delegates of various Young Men's Christian Associations of Europe and America, assembled in Conference at Paris, the 22 August 1855 feeling that they are one in principle and in operation, recommend to their respective Societies to recognize with them the unity existing among their Associations, and while preserving a complete independence as to their particular organization and modes of action, to form a Confederation of secession on the following fundamental principle, such principle to be regarded as the basis of admission of other Societies in future.YMCA was influential during the 1870s and the 1930s, during which times it most successfully promoted "evangelical Christianity in weekday and Sunday services, while promoting good sportsmanship in athletic contests in gyms (where basketball and volleyball were invented) and swimming pools.

Later, in 1900, North American YMCAs, in collaboration with the World YMCA, set up centres to work with emigrants in European ports, as millions of people were leaving for the US.

In 1878, YMCA was organized near the Jaffa Gate of the Old City of Jerusalem and the current landmark building was dedicated by General Lord Allenby in 1933 during the British Mandate of Palestine.

[17] Notable supporters and volunteers included Clementine Churchill[18] (for which she was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1918), Oswald Chambers and Robert and Olave Baden-Powell.

[19] Within the first month the YMCA Women's Auxiliary was formed, and Princess Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein would go on to become a notable member and chairman of its organising committee.

On 12 July 2010, YMCA of the USA rebranded its name to the popular nickname "The Y" and revised the iconic red and black logo to create five colored versions.

[31][32] Today, YMCAs are open to all, regardless of ability, age, culture, ethnicity, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation and socioeconomic background.

[34] It was attended by guests including Jayathma Wickramanayake on behalf of Office of the Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth, and María Fernanda Espinosa, the President of the United Nations General Assembly.

[36] The decision, attributed by the YMCA to high maintenance costs and demographic changes, was met with widespread dismay from members and the broader community.

Campaigners alleged that the company's focus on commercial redevelopment conflicted with the YMCA's historical mission of providing affordable and inclusive services for the community.

The "Save the YMCA" campaign emerged as a grassroots effort to halt the closure,[38] with supporters calling for a six-month pause to explore sustainable solutions for retaining the facilities.

The campaign drew media attention, with coverage from BBC News and other outlets, highlighting concerns about the loss of vital community resources in central London.

[39] Critics of the decision have argued that the sale of the premises to Criterion Capital or its affiliates undermines the YMCA's legacy,[40][41][42] suggesting that the closure represents a broader trend of prioritizing private development over public good.

Campaigners have urged Criterion Capital and its leadership, including the Aziz family, to collaborate on preserving the facilities, emphasizing the potential to reimagine the site while maintaining its original purpose of serving the community.

The national organizations, in turn, are affiliated to both an Area Alliance, including Europe, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Mexico, the United States, and Canada, and the World YMCA.

In some places, this takes the form of budget accommodation available to the public such as youth hostels, or hotels, which, in turn, generate income for other charitable activities.

The rooms became a significant part of American culture, known as an inexpensive and safe place for a visitor to stay in an unfamiliar city (as, for example, in the 1978 Village People song "Y.M.C.A.").

[49][50] YMCAs offer child care, including supervised space for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-age children to stay and play while parents enjoy a workout.

[51] YMCA after-school programs are geared towards providing students with a variety of recreational, cultural, leadership, academic, and social skills for development.

Y Learning operates under the main mission of bridging achievements gaps and providing essential resources to help underprivileged students thrive in school.

Around six years after its birth, an international YMCA conference in Paris decided that the objective of the organization should become "Christian discipleship developed through a program of religious, educational, social and physical activities" (Binfield 1973:265).

Luther Gulick (physician), the head of Springfield YMCA gave Naismith two weeks to come up with a game to occupy a particularly incorrigible group.

[citation needed] Football was already highly popular in the country and after Uruguay won the 1930 World Cup and gold medals in the 1924 and 1928 Summer Olympics, it attracted even more practitioners.

Joseph Sobek a tennis, handball and squash player who worked in a rubber manufacturing factory, was dissatisfied with the options for indoor sports in Greenwich, Connecticut.

Active YMCA organizations exist in Angola, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Madagascar, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

[76] With the support of president Yuan Shikai, Crocker toured China to conduct training courses and establish a school for physical education instructors.

[78] In Germany, as in Austria and Switzerland, YMCA is called CVJM, which stands for Christlicher Verein junger Menschen (Christian Association of Young People).

Through the encouragement of YMCA, physical educators promoted women's volleyball in schools like Escola Wenceslau Braz and Colégio Sylvio Leite in Rio.

It has 800 separate organisational entities affiliated to its national office, based in 2,700 branch locations,[93] working with 21 million people, to "strengthen communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility.

Through the middle part of the 20th century it was associated with covert homosexual subculture, with the athletic facilities providing a refuge and cover for closeted individuals.